Moisture Meters - An Inspector’s Lifesaver

When I was trained as a home inspector back in the mid-1990’s it was common to be told to not take pictures (film cameras) for fear of missing something displayed in the background of a shot, and never to use a moisture meter. Both of these concepts are flawed, as modern tools help home inspectors do a better job. Yes we still have our minimal Standards of Practice which help establish realistic expectations, but if I can find an otherwise concealed issue or do a better job of documenting an issue, then I greatly lessen my liability because I have better protected my client.

Fellow home inspector Reuben Saltzman from St. Louis Park, Minnesota shared in his blog...

Home Inspectors Shouldn’t be Nail Biters

While having lunch during a recent all-day continuing ed seminar for home inspectors, we home inspectors all did what home inspectors do when they get together; we talked about home inspections. We’re out inspecting houses with new clients every day, our wives are tired of hearing about home inspection ‘stuff’, and we get very little peer interaction unless we participate in online discussion forums. So anyways, we’re talking about home inspection tools. Oh boy, can we talk about tools. I asked one of the guys at my table, a relatively new inspector, about what type of moisture meter he uses. His answer drove me nuts.“I don’t use a moisture meter, because I’ve heard other home inspectors say that this only increases your liability.”I’ve heard this repeated by nail-biting home inspectors countless times over the years. I knew exactly what he had heard, but I encouraged him to elaborate.“If you use a moisture meter to investigate one area but don’t use a moisture meter on every wall surface and you end up missing something, you could be held liable for negligence. A prosecutor would say that because you used a moisture meter in one place, you should have used it everywhere.”Sorry, but I don’t buy into that. He was given weak advice from a home inspector who spends more time worrying about getting sued than they spend trying to identify problems with a house.If a home inspector wants to provide a great service to their clients, get referrals, stay busy, and be proud of their work, here’s some stuff they ought to do:

Ask questions

Embrace new technology

Buy the latest and greatest tools

Learn how to use their tools

Seek out excellent continuing education

Work on writing a better inspection report

Make recommendations for further inspections sparingly

Take more photos during inspections and put them in reports

If a home inspector advertises that they’re going to use a moisture meter on every square inch of the house and then they don’t… well, they didn’t deliver on their promise and I suppose they might get sued. On the other hand, if a home inspector uses a moisture meter to scan specific areas that they’re concerned about and they happen to miss an area that was wet (and I’m sure I’ve missed hundreds), have they done anything wrong? Lets use a little common sense.Back to the seminar. I went on a small tirade about all of the above during the seminar lunch, and I convinced my colleague to go get a good moisture meter. He actually sounded relieved and eager to do so. That made my day.Author: Reuben Saltzman, Structure Tech Home Inspections

REFERRAL: If you are needing a home inspection anywhere near St. Louis park, Minnesota, then give Reuben’s team the chance to inspect for you.

I echo Reuben’s sentiments and encourage home inspectors everywhere to take advantage of modern technologies, get trained in their use, and up the level of their inspections. The ultimate winner is everybody in the transactions. Sellers will be sued less for non-disclosure. Agents will be sued less for negligent referrals. And the nervous Nellie home inspectors can sleep peacefully knowing that they were able to identify issues that might have escaped them without the newer technologies.

What are your thoughts?

About the author

Since 1995, Master Inspector Michael Leavitt has continued to run the finest inspection firm in Northern Utah. Michael Loves to write and this business portion of his blog captures fun moments and informative topics geared towards educating and entertaining homeowners and other real estate professionals. Michael has consistently built his inspection reputation by being extremely thorough in our inspection protocols. If you are looking for the finest inspection firm in Northern Utah, then confidently draw upon Michael’s experience and order your inspection today!!!